I decided that the Tealorange quilt needed simple quilting. I started with stitching in the ditch between all the blocks and then added some parallel lines close to the ditch like I did on this quilt (but only in one direction).Then, I decided that I needed to fill the whole space with lines.
I have to say, I think the result is well worth the hours it took. I am thrilled with the results on the whole quilt.
I'm going to put a scrappy binding of orange and teals around it and will share a full view photo when it's really finished.
It has finally gotten warm enough to be outside without sweaters so we've also been working on some outdoor chores. Yesterday we went out in the fields hunting for morels and asparagus - we didn't find any of those but we did come back with a big load of garlic mustard. Today we'll plant some more things in the garden any maybe even have a field fire. I tell you, the fun never ends around here!
What projects have you been working on?
As I have been making more tiny two inch star blocks I've been thinking about my 
I have gotten the quilt out many times and thought about what I could quilt in there. I tried plain cross hatching, and seriously considered a closely stitched bishop's fan.
Still, I think it needs a big feathered vine.So, I've told myself that this needs to be the next quilt I finish. You heard me so now the pressure is on. I need to mark it and get to quilting.Really, what have I been waiting for? When I finish I can snuggle up under THIS!
Here's hoping I can get it done. 
I have a few other projects that I need to work on so I'll set this aside again. I still have that WIDE nine inch border to quilt. It will need a good bit of quilting in it to equalize the quilting in the middle, otherwise the border will end up wavy. So, now to think about what to do there.
I am open to quilting suggestions for the border. What would YOU do?Here's another picture because, well, I think it deserves another picture.
After finishing a few more smaller projects I am feeling a little more prepared for the 
I feel like I can now calmly return to a larger project like finishing another quilt.
I put hundreds of pins in it last night. I will be quilting it on the machine but haven't decided about the design yet.
I don't want to put any quilting on the stars. I really want them to float above the background. Outlining each star would be very tedious but I kind of think it needs it. I would like a lot of quilting in the background but I don't want to do the old meandering thing either.What are your quilting thoughts?And isn't this backing fabric great? I had just enough for the back of this quilt!
I spent the afternoon making some more tiny stars. A couple more afternoons like this and I'll get all the stars for this quilt finished.I think I'm finally starting to get in the rhythm of the school day. I have been listening to Harry Potter on tape while I sew. Jim Dale does a superb job reading them. If you haven't listened to his recordings of the Harry Potter books, I highly recommend that you do.I am making a list of other books to listen to after I finish the Harry Potter series.What book would you recommend?
Less than three years from start to finish - not too bad.
In working through my unfinished projects I have noticed that the quilts I start at retreat are the ones that end up not being finished right away.
It is not because I don't want to finish them. It is more that I am so productive at retreat that I start or sometimes even finish three or four quilt tops during the week. I come home energized with ideas that I want to try so I usually keep working on one of those quilts and then move that energy to more new projects.
Right now I am empowered to get things finished so I am going with that.This little quilt was hand quilted with perle cotton thread and is 22.5 inches by 22.5 inches.I had better keep busy. Retreat time will be here before long and then I'll have even more quilt tops to finish!
Most of you know that when I start a project I usually don't plan it all out ahead. I like to jump in with both feet and the rotary cutter. I am glad that I laid a few of these out on the floor to get the idea before I had everything cut.I have the twenty animal print squares and 80 of the star point rectangles. The block I had in my head is shown in the upper right corner of the photo. Now that I SEE how it is going together I am not going to make the block that way. I think I will cut larger squares to go in the background instead of four small squares. I was originally thinking one white block with a feathered wreath quilted in it. Now, as I look at it again I could do another print or a four patch of different colors.... I like that there will be secondary stars there. Now I have to decide before charging ahead again.I also see that instead of cutting two rectangles for the star points between the animal blocks I should have cut one piece and sewn four triangles to it.Maybe doing a little sketching before I start would be a good thing. It would have saved a bit of time here and would have ended up with a "cleaner" looking quilt.
